Partition-wardrobes



Apnl 30, 1957 R. THOMPSON 2,790,209

PARTITION-WARDROBES Filed July 31, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /J3 1\ I I I I) 7 MW 1 I ll W .M' 11" .n all INVENT'OR E0562 7/59/72 507.? alga I 27 BY April 30, 1957 R. THOMPSON PARTITION-WARDROBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31, 1953 R m m V W.

United States Patent "ice PARTITION-WARDROBES Robert Thompson, Centralia, Wash.

Application July 31, 1953, Serial No. 371,563

1 Claim. (Cl.- 20-4) This invention relates to wardrobe structures, and more particularly to a combination partition and wardrobe adapted to be used as a transverse partition between a pair of opposing walls.

A main object of the invention is to'provide a novel and improved combination wardrobe and partition, the improved structure involving simple components, being easy to install, and providing maximum utilization of space in a room, as well as providing a plurality of wardrobes which are convenient of access and compact in size.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved wardrobe unit or" inexpensiveconstruction which may be employed as a partition between a -pair -of-opposing walls, the wardrobe unit being neat inappearance, being durable in construction, and employing prefabricated components, whereby it may be" installed with a minimum expenditure of time and labor.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claim, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is an elevational view, partly brokenaway, of an improved wardrobe unit constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown installed between a pairof opposing walls,"in a room.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the wardrobe unit shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional detail view taken on the line '77 of Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical transverse cross sectional detail view taken through the top portion of a modified form of combination wardrobe and partition constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 7, 11 and 12 designate a pair of opposing walls in a room between which it is desired to install a partition. In accordance with the present invention, a combination partition and wardrobe unit, designated generally at 13 is installed between the opposing walls 11 and 12.

The wardrobe structure 13 comprises a pair of vertical, spaced, stationary panels 14 and 15 secured in a common transverse plane in abutment with the respective opposing walls 12 and 11 and a third stationary vertical panel 16 secured in a transverse plane offset from the first-named vertical plane and located intermediate the opposing walls 11 and 12. Designated at 17 and 18 are respective vertical side panels connecting the inner side marginal portions of the panels 14- and 15 with the respective side marginal portions of the intermediate vertical panel 16. Thus there is defined a first closet space 2,790,209 .f'Piatented Apia-:30, :1 9.57

19 between-the side panels 17 and-18 and apair of-addi- -20-and -21 open on one side of the unitzand the closet space 19 opens on the opposite side of theunit, thereby providing two closets in the room space on'one SideiOf the unit and a'third closet in the roomrspace-onthe other-side of the unit.

Designated a-t'22 is a-rectangularttop-wall-which-is secured onthe top edges 'of. the vertical-panels 14,15, 16, 17 and18 and-which extends for .the entire distance "between the opposing walls, 11 and 12. At its opposite longitudinal edges the horizontal top wall.22 isprovided with the respective depending flange elements 23 and 24 -elements 28 secured to its top marginalportion is a sliding door 29 which is thus supported by the top wall 22 formovement parallel to the stationary verticalapanels 14 and15' in a plane outwardly adjacent'to the common transverse-plane in whichthe panels 14 and 15 "are 10- cated. Asswillbe readily apparent from Figure 4, the

sliding door 29 is movable across the front of the closet space 19.-and thus defines asliding closure therefor.

' engaged-withtheflooradjacent the front of the closet space 19 by the provision of a groove 31 in the bottom edge of the door which receives an upstanding--pin'31 provided in the floor under the bottom edge of the-sliding door 29. Obviously, any other well known form of. sliding connection between the bottom of the sliding door 29 and the. floor subadjacent thereto maybe provided,

the details of said sliding connection forming no part of the present invention.

Slidably supported on the guide track 26 in the same manner as door 29 are the additional sliding doors 32 and 33, said sliding doors being supported from the left side marginal portion of the top wall 22, as viewed in Figure 3, for sliding movement in a transverse vertical plane parallel to the plane of the vertical panel 16 and located outwardly adjacent to the plane of said panel 16. The lower portions of the sliding doors 32 and 33 are slidably connected to the floor by the use of guide pins similar to those employed for the sliding door 29 so that the sliding doors 32 and 33 are guided for sliding movement across the fronts of the respective closet spaces 20 and 21 and thereby define sliding closures therefor. As will be apparent from Figure 4, either of the sliding doors 32 and 33 may be opened when the other sliding door is in closed position, whereby the closet space to be opened may be exposed by moving its sliding door adjacent to the vertical panel 16.

Since the sliding doors 32 and 33 are disposed in a common vertical plane (Figure 4), and since their movement in directions outwardly from the intermediate or first closet space into positions closing their associate closet spaces 20 and 21 is limited by the opposing walls 11, 12, and since, further, their movement in opposite directions is in the mentioned common vertical plane, it will be seen that when the doors 32, 33 are moved to positions opening their spaces 20, 2.1, any one of them that is so moved will abut against the other. Thus, if sliding door 32 is moved to an open position from its Figure 4 position, it will be limited in such movement by abutting against the sliding door 33. In these circumstances, the door 32 will be disposed in back of the V of the additional sliding doors 32, 33 is mounted for and is limited to movement between opposite extreme positions, in one of which it extends as a closure for its associated additionalcloset space, and in the other of which it extends across the back of the first closet space 19 into abutting relation to the other additional sliding door.

Designated at 34 is an upstanding rectangular vertical panel which is secured longitudinally to the intermediate A portion of the top wall 22 and which is coextensive in length with said top wall, whereby the upstanding panel 34 extends between the opposing walls 12 and 11 and provides a vertical extension of the partition defined by I the wardrobe unit. In the form of the invention illus trated in Figures 1 to 7, a single upstanding partition 34 is employed, which projects upwardly for any desired distance, and which may extend completely to the ceiling of the room.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 8,

- a pair of upstanding rectangular vertical panels 35 and 36 are secured to the respective longitudinal marginal portions of the top wall 22, the panels 35 and 36 being coextensive in length with said top wall, whereby they extend between the opposing walls 11 and 12 and provide a flush extension of the wardrobe unit on the opposite sides thereof which extends completely to the ceiling 37 of the room.

As shown in Figures 1, 3 and 5, suitable shelves 38 may be provided in the upper portions of the closet spaces that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is: A wardrobe unit adapted to be used as a transverse par- 4 tition between a pair of opposing walls comprising a pair of spaced stationary vertical panels secured in a common transverse plane in abutment with the respective opposing walls, a third stationary vertical panel secured in a transverse plane otiset from the first-named vertical plane and located intermediate said opposing walls, respective vertical side panels connecting the inner side marginal portions of the first-named vertical panels to the respective side marginal portions of the last-named vertical panel, defining a first closet space between said side panels and a pair of additional closet spaces between the side panels and the respective opposing walls, a rectangular top wall secured on the top edges of said vertical panels and extending-between said opposing walls, said top wall having its respective longitudinal marginal portions projecting outwardly beyond the respective transverse planes, a first sliding door slidably supported by one longitudinal marginal portion of said top wall for movement parallel to said first-named vertical panels across the front of said first closet space and defining a sliding closure therefor, and a pair of additional sliding doors respectively slidably supported by the opposite longitudinal marginal portion of said top wall for movement References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,805,240 Frankel May 12, 1931 2,643,171 Sterba June 23, 1953 2,660,269 Whitehouse Nov. 24, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 3, 1935 

